Dark Intentions
by Rubber dukky and Spunge head
Summary: When Voldemort finds out Snape is a traitor, he gives him a punishment that will secure the dark side's rule forever. However, his plan is discovered by the most unlikely person. A gripping tale of humour, romance and mystery. SnapeSinistra
1. Default Chapter

Dark Intentions  
  
Chapter 1  
  
An icy breeze rustled the trees around him as he stumbled onwards. The moonlight cast dappled shadows on the ground as he considered the excuse he would have to make. Just visible through the black outline of trees, a clearing revealed a circle of robed figures, silent and as still as marble statues. He stopped, regaining his composure after running through the trees and then swiftly and quietly advanced towards the circle.   
  
A sharp voice pierced the air "It appears, my faithful servants, that we have a deserter" The speaker did not move but his identity was evident from the fact that he was the only one in the circle of people who did not shudder as the voice filled the night air. The speaker stepped forward into the circle and started to travel around the inside of it, slowly and deliberately, like a predator watching its prey. It was not until he had nearly completed his circuit that he stopped abruptly.  
  
"McNair, where is the spy?"  
  
McNair shuddered. "I..I...I don't know my Lord." McNair replied; his face, which was hidden by his hooded robe was directed at the ground.  
  
"LIAR. McNair, where is the spy?" Lord Voldemort asked once more, in a mocking voice.  
  
"I..I.. saw him at the Hogshead my Lord...a..a..man came and tried to make him leave. But he would not at..at first. He took the back exit and I followed him..he did not know I was there my Lord. It was Weasley, the muggle loving blood traitor who works at the ministry. He told Snape to meet him at the usual place at 6 o'clock. He said...he said it was urgent and important and then he..he saw me and tried to jinx me.. but I got away..."  
  
"SILENCE. You fool...how could you let him see you? CRUCIO" Lord Voldemort cried, holding his wand high and casting menacing shadows on the surrounding trees. McNair slumped to the ground, whining and twitching.  
  
A rustling in the trees behind distracted Lord Voldemort and he spun away, breaking through the circle to peer into the darkness. McNair scrambled to his feet and stumbled back to his place in the circle, whimpering.  
  
A solitary figure in black robes walked into the moonlit clearing. His long greasy black hair shadowed his sallow face and hooked nose.  
  
"Snape" hissed Lord Voldemort freezing, his wand raised.  
  
"My Lord," Snape sunk to his knees before Lord Voldemort, "My Lord I can not apologise enough for my delay."  
  
Voldemort turned to face his hooded companions. "My friends," he whispered, "what shall do with the betrayer?"  
  
One of the robed figures sniggered. "Lateness is laziness and laziness is a sin that deserves the severest punishment. Do you agree my Lord?" Lucius Malfoy sneered  
  
"Thank you Malfoy but I already know the fate of the betrayer who is not worthy to kneel at my feet..."  
  
"My Lord..." Snape cried   
  
"He is not worthy to be a member of this circle. He is only worthy of death...tortuous, painful and lonely death..." Voldermort whispered menacingly.  
  
"Please my Lord anything but..."  
  
A member of the circle stepped forward and addressed Lord Voldemort  
  
"My Lord, although this traitor, this scum deserves nothing more than the most painful death I think I have found a much more profitable solution to the problem of murdering him." Malfoy spoke again.  
  
"Indeed. And what would this...solution entail?" enquired Lord Voldemort, his wand still raised above the whimpering form of Snape at his feet.  
  
"Now we know he is in Dumbledore's Army we can use him to our advantage..." Malfoy tailed off as Voldemort turned to face him and the figures in the still circle pulled their wands out of their robes and cast them on Snape.  
  
"Very good Malfoy, you cotton on fast. But I have a greater plan. A plan that will not only punish this scum, that will not only mean we will know the exact moves of the enemy, that will not only kill mudbloods but will retrieve the one thing that will secure our rule forever...Harry Potter." Voldemort turned to Snape and raised his wand once more crying the words:  
  
_"Draculus monteni!"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
**  
A shimmering jet of red and black light struck Snape so hard in the chest that he was knocked backwards; landing sprawled on the dewy grass. The watching Death Eaters lowered their wands and looked on, laughing.  
  
"Get up," Voldemort snarled, kicking Snape savagely in the ribs.

- - - - - -

Rolling green hills flashed past the windows of the scarlet Hogwarts Express as Harry, Ron and Hermione ate their way through the pile of pumpkin pasties and cauldron cakes they had bought. The door of their carriage opened and Luna Lovegood entered, looking a million miles away.  
  
"Oh," she exclaimed, only the merest hint of surprise in her voice, "It's you." She flopped down on a spare seat, looking dreamily at Ron.  
  
"I saw you in Diagon Alley on Wednesday, you were wearing a black jumper and your sister Ginny had just come out of Flourish and Blotts." Luna recited. Ron looked at Harry and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Really?" He said uninterestedly.  
  
"Yes, do you know Professor Snape and Sinistra are dating?" she asked, nonplussed.  
  
"What utter tosh!" cried Hermione, "That's just the sort of rubbish that..."  
  
"Really? How do you know that?" Ron interrupted her excitedly, leaning forward in his seat. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Harry, who was failing to suppress his laughter.  
  
"I saw them in Diagon Alley when I saw you." Luna replied, glaring at Harry.  
  
Hermione snorted. "Just because you happened to see them both in the same place on the same day does not mean that they have any sort of romantic attachment."  
  
"Well, Sinistra was wearing Snape's cloak..." Luna pondered thoughtfully.  
  
"How do you know it was his cloak?" snapped Hermione, folding her arms.  
  
"It was long, black and swishy – unmistakable really." Luna was starting to sound less dreamy and more defensive now.  
  
Harry burst out laughing, the cauldron cake he was holding to his mouth fell to the floor. Just at that moment, the compartment door slid open and Neville walked in.  
  
"Hello Neville! Did you have a good summer?" asked Hermione, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Yeah. Guess what!" Neville sat down next to Ron and the pile of cauldron cakes. "Snape and Sinistra are dating!"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry's mouth dropped open and Ron choked on the pasty he was eating.  
  
"What?!" Ron said thickly through a mouthful of pasty.  
  
"Well, I did try to tell you," Luna said distantly.  
  
"Neville, how did _you_ find out?" Hermione rounded on Neville crossly.  
  
"Well, I saw them in Diagon Alley on Wednesday. Sinistra was wearing Snape's cloak. Apparently, they've been dating for a while now – keeping it secret though."  
  
"Oh for goodness sake," Hermione snapped. "This is ridiculous. As if Snape could ever get a girlfriend. And why are you both so insistent that she was wearing his cloak? Did it have 'Property of Severus Snape' etched on the back or something?"  
  
"Well, I saw them again when I went to Knockturn Alley with my father, Sinistra kissed him on the cheek. They were well hidden though..." Luna tailed off.  
  
"You were following them weren't you?" Hermione exclaimed indignantly.  
  
"No," cried Luna, but a red flush was covering her pale cheeks.  
  
"Well, even if they are dating, which I seriously doubt, it is absolutely none of our business," Hermione said, sounding just like Professor McGonagall  
  
The carriage lapsed back into silence as the train rushed past trees and fields, then mountains and into the darkness of the evening.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The feast had just finished and Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus were in their dormitory. Ron was still finding it hard to get over the fact that Snape had a girlfriend.  
  
"I'm telling you it's true!" Neville cried, for the fifth time. "They were in Diagon Alley together. Well, for a while anyway. Me and my Gran had just come out of Flourish and Blotts and they were standing a bit away from the door. Sinistra went off to join a group of witches sitting outside a café and he just sort of drifted away. I think he went towards Knocturn Alley actually."  
  
"Well, I'm sure we'll soon find out, what with lessons starting again and everything," Seamus said. "Ha, we should try and spread it around the whole school!"  
  
"No!" Neville looked terrified. "He'll find out it was me and do something horrible, like with that Boggart!"  
  
They all laughed at the memory of the Boggart and the conversation turned to their third year for a while before they eventually drifted off to sleep.  
  
- - - - - -

Someone was knocking on the door. He froze with the piece of parchment in his hand, looking around desperately for somewhere to hide it.  
  
More knocking.  
  
He dived for the bottom drawer in the chest by the empty fireplace, slipped on the stone floor and knocked over the coffee table, which fell to the floor with a resounding crash. He had just slammed the drawer shut and righted the table when the door swung open and Aurielle Sinistra walked in.  
  
"Severus, what _are_ you doing in here?"  
  
He straightened up and glared at her. "Preparing for your arrival."  
  
"What, by wrecking the room?" she asked, frowning slightly.  
  
He smirked at her. "I'm doing it for you, I thought I'd save you the trouble."  
  
Aurielle smiled, remembering the last time she'd been here and accidentally smashed one of his precious potion jars.  
  
Well, maybe not so accidentally. But in essence, it had been his fault ... for provoking her.  
  
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "To save some of your more valuable possessions from ... erm ... destruction, maybe we should go for a walk," she murmured into his cloak.  
  
Snape looked highly uncomfortable as he tried to extract himself from her limpet–like clasp.  
  
"I'd love to," he said shortly and somewhat unconvincingly. "Unfortunately I have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment."  
  
"What, like oiling your hair?" she asked sourly, feeling a little disappointed.  
  
"Why yes, it's a possibility," he sneered. "Now if you will excuse me."  
  
"Well maybe I'll come back later, when you're feeling more sociable," she snapped. He turned away but didn't reply.  
  
Aurielle sighed and tossing back her thick, curly black hair, strode out of the room. Snape listened to the sound of her footsteps dying away along the passage and tried very hard not to feel just a little bit guilty. He looked back towards the drawer containing the map and felt disgusted with himself, but that map was going to be extremely helpful.  
  
With a feeling of immense panic, he began to notice just how hungry he was. Lessons would be starting tomorrow; the idea that he would be able to keep this ... condition hidden seemed almost impossible. For the first time in his life, Snape almost felt sympathetic towards Remus Lupin. He laughed bitterly. It was very difficult to keep anything hidden from Dumbledore, Sinistra was practically stalking him around the castle and nosy Potter and his friends, especially Granger, had a knack for finding out things that they shouldn't. He wondered how long it would be before one of them found out.  
  
A few minutes later, a terrifying thought hit him. What if Voldemort had a different, bigger plan that he wasn't telling him about? Something that would not only harm himself, but also the Order. Suddenly, the idea of being found out (even by Potty or his mudblood mate) seemed very appealing indeed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**  
  
"Hurry up Harry!" moaned Ron as Harry rummaged once more through his trunk, "what is so important that you need to find it now?"  
  
"Ron...the marauder's map...someone's stolen it," Harry replied, throwing out socks and bits of spare parchment which Ron just managed to dodge.  
  
"It's got to be in there somewhere Harry, search for it later – Herbology started five minutes ago! Anyway you've had the whole of lunch to look for it." Ron edged closer to the dormitory door.  
  
"I didn't wipe it last time I used it, I was in a rush...anybody could use it!" Harry started to feel under his four-poster.  
  
- - - - - -  
  
"Has anybody seen Weasley and Potter?" Professor Sprout shouted over the noise of the class. "They should have been here ten minutes ago."  
  
"Here, Professor," gasped Harry as he and Ron fell through the greenhouse door. "Sorry we're late."  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor and hurry up, today's lesson is important and should have been started ten minutes ago," she snapped.  
  
"What's up with her, mouldy old cabbage," Ron muttered as he and Harry sidled over to join Hermione at her tray.  
  
"Well really, you are very late, what kept you?" Hermione said disapprovingly. "Skibblydibberts are a very important part of our syllabus and will probably come up on our exam. Thanks to you, we'll only be able to extract sap today. And Sprout's already in a bad mood because the new mandrakes were savaged last night."  
  
"Oh really?" asked Ron examining the Skibblydibbert's flowers as they changed from polka-dot green to stripy yellow.  
  
"Yes, it's terrible because the second years won't be able to look after them and gain the valuable experience that we gained. It's so unfair. Poor Professor Sprout was really distraught and I really don't blame her," Hermione said in one breath.  
  
"Valuable experience!" exploded Ron. "What valuable experience. All I learnt was never to plant one in my garden."  
  
"Garden? You don't have a ..." began Harry  
  
"WEASLEY, POTTER! BE QUIET! You were late for my lesson now have the decency to shut up and listen!" yelled Sprout. The tops of Ron's ears went very red.  
  
After half an hour of taking notes on the ways that the skibblydibbert changed according to temperature, Harry, Ron and Hermione headed to the Great Hall for dinner. Ron managed to vex Professor Sprout further by elbowing a tray full of flowering shrub seeds off the bench, covering the greenhouse floor with a carpet of green. Neville stayed behind to help clear up, mostly out of fear rather than kindness.  
  
Neville closed the greenhouse door tentatively, hoping professor Sprout would not realise that he had escaped without de-weeding the whole greenhouse. The sun was setting behind the castle, casting long shadows on the grounds. Suddenly Neville heard a high-pitched giggle and a cold voice cutting it short from somewhere behind him. Intrigued, he sidled silently between greenhouse one and two and peered through the first few trees of the forbidden forest. In a clearing a little way in, Neville saw two shadowy figures – a tall man in long black robes and a smaller woman standing just in front of him.  
  
"What was that?" Snape escaped Sinistra's grasp and raised his wand, his cold black eyes looking accusingly a bush close to where Neville was hiding.  
  
"Er... a bush? Stop being so jumpy Sev!" Sinistra wound her arms around Snape who pulled away again.  
  
"Don't call me Sev, how would you like it if I started calling you Aur?" he snapped, lowering his wand slowly and reluctantly putting an arm around her waist.  
  
"I wouldn't mind at all Sev, in fact, I'd prefer it if you called me Aur," Sinistra said sweetly, using her wand to tighten one of her black curls.  
  
"It's getting dark Aurielle, shall we leave?" asked Snape looking uncomfortable.  
  
There were a few seconds of tense silence. The couple drew closer, Neville felt highly embarrassed but if he left now they would definitely hear him...all the same, they would have to pass the bush concealing him on their way up to the castle.  
  
Neville started to crawl through the undergrowth standing up behind a tree, which he peered around, deciding to wait until they had left before returning to the Great Hall. At that moment, the sunlight spread over the clearing illuminating Snape and Sinistra, their mouths almost touching. The light reflected off of Snape's face, and as Neville stood debating whether to run to the next tree, he caught sight of Snape's mouth with two long, gleaming white fangs fast approaching Sinistra's neck. Neville gasped and Snape's black eyes flashed towards Neville, their gaze met and both of their hearts stopped.  
  
Without thinking, Neville turned and sprinted back to the castle as fast as he could. Snape pushed Sinistra roughly away and began to struggle through the bushes on the far side of the clearing in pursuit of Neville.  
  
"Severus!" Sinistra shouted angrily. But Snape seemed unaware as he untangled his robes from a thorn bush. "Severus, what _is_ your problem?"  
  
Snape ignored her, the boy had seen them, but that was not the only secret he had uncovered and that was Snape's prime concern. How could he have been so careless? He had nearly bitten Aurielle...this had to stop, he would never forgive himself if he killed her.  
  
"Sinistra..." Snape said, turning back towards the clearing, "this has to stop. I'm...err...sorry?"  
  
"FINE!" Sinistra shouted, a flock of birds took flight in the silent forest as she stormed back to the castle, trying to disguise the tears running down her white face. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 A/N: Just a note to say there have been some changes to the first chapter of this story (note the spell Voldemort puts on Snape) which will make the below chapter more understandable. This chapter is dedicated to Rinkurocks (Katie) for being our first (and only!) reviewer. Thank you very much for your lovely review, hope you like the next chapter and you will keep reading!  
  
lots of love Rubber Dukky & SpUnGe HeAd   
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"So Snape, how are you finding life as a vampire? Rather interesting I would expect. But then again, I wouldn't know," Voldemort said, smiling cruelly down at Snape who was kneeling on the ground in front of him. Snape kept his eyes on the ground and didn't reply.  
  
"Your first task is complete, how it must have broken your heart to let that mud blood Sinistra out of your greasy clutches...but then again you, like I, don't have a heart" Voldemort spat as Snape cowered before him.

Snape glared back at his master.

"Oh, maybe I am mistaken, you do have a heart Severus...ha...not for much longer..."

Voldemort surveyed the darkening sky through the canopy of leaves above. "The Forbidden Forest is full of creatures like you, skulking in the darkest shadows, but I have a task much greater for you than killing mandrakes Severus...a task that many of my followers would die to accomplish. But for you this will be a punishment. Those who cross me will pay the price for their disobedience...a vampire possesses the power to drain a victim of their defences and if one wishes, to kill them. For you the task is simple, I want you to bring me Potter...alive"

Snape looked blankly at Voldemort, appearing not to understand.

"Dear me Severus, do you not understand what I am asking you to do? Has becoming a vampire affected your intelligence? Well you see, you must _bring. me. Harry, Potter_." Voldemort raised his wand over Snape almost carelessly. A nerve twitched near Snape's mouth, yet he otherwise appeared unperturbed.  
  
"And...to ensure there will be no more digressions..._imperio_!"

- - - - - -

"Do you know what's wrong with Hagrid?" Hermione asked Harry as they sat in the Gryffindor common room on Friday afternoon. "I saw him in the corridor and stopped to talk to him but he seemed really upset and didn't say anything."

"Erm...well...I haven't been to see him for a while," Harry said uncomfortably.

"Haven't you heard?" Dean asked, turning around in his seat to talk to them. "He was breeding some Akalobs for us to study but this morning he found them dead in the paddock. Something had savaged them."

Neville gave an involuntary twitch.

"What's up Neville, it wasn't you was it?" Ron chuckled. Neville didn't answer but smiled weakly.

"I wonder what it is. Do you think it has any connection to the mandrakes?" Hermione asked, looking puzzled.

"Possibly... Oh well, whatever it is, Hagrid will catch it," Harry said confidently.

"Yeah, and he'll probably start breeding it!" Ron sniggered.

Neville looked positively horrified!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N**: Sorry sorry sorry about the looooooooong wait for chapter 6... ahhh its all due to the summer holidays. Surprisingly, there is less time to write when one has more time on one's hands!!!

This chapter is dedicated to all of our reviewers. You ROCK!!! (That means you, **duj**, **HarryLuva2004**, **Ellsie** and **rinkurocks**)

Rubber Dukky )))' & SpUnGe HeAd

* * *

Snape stumbled through the thick undergrowth of the dark forest. Voldemort now had complete power over his body. His words would spill out of his mouth, his actions would be controlled and all the time he would be helpless – trapped inside his own body. Voldemort's puppet, the slightest twitch of a string and he would be forced to place the whole of the wizarding world in danger. Even thinking his own thoughts was a struggle, he knew there was no hope for him. _I'm no match for the Dark Lord ... _he thought resignedly. A cruel, cold voice replied: _No Severus, with your ... haha ... 'help' no one will be a match for me ... not even Potter... _

# # #

Neville paced up and down the dormitory, his insides performing somersaults. _First Mandrakes now Akalobs, soon it will be people. _Neville felt his stomach give another painful twinge and he sat down on his four-poster. There had to be _something _he could do to help – but what? All he knew was what he had seen – Snape nearly biting Sinistra's exposed neck. Had Snape always been a vampire? Neville was almost certain that the sharp, deadly looking fangs were a recent acquisition. Although Dumbledore did employ Professor Lupin when he knew full well that he was a werewolf and the danger that he imposed on both students and staff. Neville wandered over to the dormitory window and looked down at the students laughing and chatting merrily to one another. He wished, so very, very greatly, that he wouldn't have to carry this burden for much longer. The only thing that kept Neville from madness was the fact that Dumbledore trusted Snape. However, Neville was not sure that this was a good thing any more. Exhausted, he slumped on to his bed and quickly fell asleep.

# # #

Harry and Ron headed up the spiral staircase to the boys' dormitory.

"Did you see the look on his face after we said it was a Cockroach Cluster? Unbelievable!" laughed Ron loudly, as he and Harry entered the dormitory.

"Hang on Ron," Harry said nodding towards the now snoring Neville, "why is he so tired? It's only five o' clock! We haven't even had dinner yet!"

"Shall we wake him up?" asked Ron

"I dunno, yeah. Maybe he's ill... he _has _been acting weirdly recently, don't you think?"

"Now you mention it...Ron said thoughtfully. "He came in late from herbology – it must be serious!"

"Fangs...GET AWAY FROM HER!" Neville shouted, waking suddenly to see Ron and Harry's alarmed faces.

"Are you OK Neville? What's all this about fangs?" Harry asked tentatively. Ron looked at him and sniggered.

"Oh... er just a bad dream!" Neville laughed, but he looked shaken, "Just er...hungry. Let's go down to dinner."

Neville stumbled over to the door and down the dormitory stairs before Harry and Ron could agree.

"I wonder what he was really dreaming about." Harry said, wandering after Neville.

"Probably that new plant Sprout's got - you know, the one with teeth the size of broomsticks! Wonder what's for dinner I'm starving." Ron replied with a grin.

# # #

Neville was still acting just as strangely, if not more, the next day as they made their way down to the dungeons for potions.

Snape swept past Harry, Ron and Hermione, knocking them against the dungeon walls in his haste. Harry glowered at the back of his greasy head and followed him into the dungeon.

"Neville, is something wrong?" Hermione asked, looking at him anxiously, "you look a bit ill."

Neville gulped nervously. "Er yes, maybe it was something I ate for breakfast," he muttered, quickly following Snape and Harry into the dungeon and not meeting Hermione's eyes. She looked after him, frowning.

"Today," sneered Snape, "you will be concocting a warming potion. Incorrect measurements of ingredients will result in irreversible consequences, so make sure you take care."

Snape turned stiffly towards the black board and began to scrawl instructions in chalk upon it.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron and Harry, Snape usually had notes ready prepared for them. That must have been why he was in a hurry, Harry thought absently.

_Skin and slice three Shrivel figs and add them to the boiling juices of five pickled newts. _

_Stir fourteen and a half times anti clockwise before adding three drrrr drrrrrr ddrooopppss  
  
_

Snape began to shake as he wrote, the chalk snapped but he carried on trying to write regardless...

_Of vaaaaaaaaaaammoli essence and piiour into the mixture hhhhheel  
  
_

The chalk slipped from Snape's fingers and dropped on to the dungeon's stone floor with a crash. The class looked up as Snape turned pale and strode out of the dungeon door, slamming it behind him. The sound resounded throughout the stunned silence.

"What the...?" Ron started, the whole class broke into excited chatter but Hermione looked concerned.

"Shall I go and see if he's alright?" Hermione asked Harry. Harry gaped at her, open mouthed.

"Do you have a death wish, Hermione?" Harry replied. Hermione looked at him scornfully. "What if he's really ill?"

Ron snorted, "who cares?!"

"Well, I don't think that..." Hermione started, but she was cut off by Neville tapping her shoulder.

"Hermione, I really don't feel well. If Snape comes back and wonders where I am, tell him I've gone to the hospital wing," he muttered.

"Um, ok," she said, looking anxiously at Neville, who was pale and shaking slightly.

He got up cautiously and sidled out of the room, unnoticed by any of the chattering students. He had no intention of going to the hospital wing. He'd decided to go straight to Snape and... he didn't know what he'd do then but he had to talk to him.

Filled with dread at the prospect of confronting an already fuming Snape, Neville scanned the long stone corridor for any sign of the potions master, feeling a little surprised that he wasn't there - maybe he'd gone to see Dumbledore? Neville didn't know what the episode back in the dungeons had meant, but he had a feeling it wasn't something good.

He started walking down the corridor in the direction of the Great Hall, planning to go back to the Gryffindor common room, when suddenly, Snape stepped out of an alcove in the wall just ahead of him.

Neville jumped and gasped, Snape was walking towards him and Neville had no idea what to say. As Snape drew level with him, Neville cleared his throat. "Um... Sir?" he started.

He had been expecting many reactions but not this. Snape simply carried on walking and looked straight through Neville, giving him the odd feeling that he was invisible.

Neville turned on the spot as he watched Snape continue to sweep down the corridor. What was going on? Neville didn't know whether he was relieved or disconcerted by Snape's somewhat vacant manner. Neville had no time to ponder further as at that moment Professor McGonagall appeared at the top of corridor looking thunderous. Neville quickly began walking back to the dungeons, wondering how Snape would react to his disappearing act.

Neville opened the dungeon door tentatively, Snape had continued where he left off writing steadily on the black board. Neville noticed that the earlier mistakes had been wiped away. He had almost reached his seat when Snape turned to face him abruptly.

"Why are you out of your seat, Longbottom? Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape snapped.

The curious class quickly resigned themselves to work as Snape scribbled away on the board, his usual bad temper resumed.


End file.
